How to use Leetcode for Technical Interviews

Tarique Akhtar
3 min readJan 10, 2023

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LeetCode is a popular platform for preparing for technical interviews, particularly in the field of software engineering. The platform offers a wide variety of coding challenges, or “problems,” that cover a range of topics and difficulty levels. In this article, we’ll explore how you can use LeetCode to improve your chances of acing your next technical interview.

1. Familiarize yourself with the platform

Before diving into the problems, take some time to familiarize yourself with the platform. LeetCode offers a variety of features that can help you improve your coding skills, including a built-in code editor, a test case runner, and a discussion forum where you can share ideas with other users.

Here is the link for the same.

https://leetcode.com

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2. Start with easy problems

Once you’re comfortable with the platform, it’s time to start working on problems. To begin with, start with problems that are considered “easy.” These problems will help you get used to the platform and understand how the problems are structured. You’ll also begin to see common patterns and learn to think about problems in a structured way.

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3. Work on problems of increasing difficulty

After you’ve completed a few easy problems, you can start working on problems of increasing difficulty. As you work on more challenging problems, you’ll be exposed to new concepts and techniques, and you’ll learn how to think about problems more strategically.

4. Review the solutions

After you’ve completed a problem, it’s important to review the solutions. LeetCode allows you to see the solutions of other users and you can learn a lot by studying how others have approached the problem. You can also compare your solution to the most upvoted solution and see where you can improve on.

5. Practice, practice, practice

As with anything, practice is key when it comes to acing technical interviews. The more problems you work on, the more comfortable you’ll become with the types of questions that are typically asked during interviews. Additionally, LeetCode provides some questions of the same category that you’ve worked on before to help you get used to similar questions and make you more prepared when you face the same question.

6. Use the mock interviews feature

LeetCode also provides a mock interviews feature which provides a simulation of a real interview experience, where you’ll be given a problem to solve within a time limit. This can be a useful tool for preparing for the real thing, as it will give you a sense of the time pressure you’ll be under during an actual interview.

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7. Use the discussion feature

The discussion feature of LeetCode is a valuable tool for preparing for technical interviews. It allows you to ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback on your solutions. This can be especially helpful if you’re stuck on a problem and need some guidance.

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Conclusion

LeetCode is a great platform for preparing for technical interviews. It offers a wide variety of problems that cover a range of topics and difficulty levels, and it provides a number of helpful features, such as the test case runner, the discussion forum, and the mock interview feature that can help you improve your coding skills and prepare for your next interview. By following the tips outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to acing your next technical interview.

Thanks for reading.

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